Author: crowninstitute

Managing employees is by no means an easy task, but it is essential for the longevity of your business and your career. These days, leadership teams are looking for ways to manage their employees without the dreaded performance evaluation.

In 2017 and beyond, managers will look beyond formal assessments to discuss an employee’s performance, with more effective and personable approaches taking their place. If you work in human resources or a business management role, explore the best new ways to provide feedback without leaving employees fearing the worst.

 

Informal Check-ins

Unlike performance assessments, an informal check-in is a casual chat between a manager and their employee. In the privacy of your office or even during a walk on the street, you can get a better understanding of an employee’s work performance.

The goal is to communicate with employees, allowing them to bring up any concerns they may have. This informal, two-way conversation is the perfect way to guide the worker on what they need to achieve, whether it’s meeting KPIs or completing additional training. Informal conversations can also be the best way to understand ground level issues that you may not have otherwise been aware of.

 

Short-Term Goals

Replace long-term objectives with short-term goals to increase employee performance. Gone are the days of yearly objectives and employee analyses. Setting short-term objectives can help workers retain their focus. It also gives you the opportunity to check in with and recalibrate your team more regularly.

The traditional, once-a-year meeting is still acceptable but it might be a good idea to shift this to a group setting. It’s a good opportunity to recognise and celebrate team victories and individual successes while still tracking the longer term progress of your employees. Think of it as an effective conclusion to a year of short-term reviews.

Management Software and Apps

Cloud-based software can improve the interaction between managers and employees and reduce admin time for HR managers. As well as this, HR managers can keep track of an employee’s progress and performance for analytical purposes.

Technology is helping managers all around the world to harness different numbers and insights. Use these stats to give employees a better idea of how they are performing at work and to provide focused, forward-thinking feedback.

Human resources management is a career that is both rewarding and exciting. At Crown Institute, we offer many courses tailored to suit your future needs. If you would like to learn more about our business and management courses, get in touch with us today. Call us on 0800 357 316, email us at info@crown.ac.nz, or fill out our enquiry form online!

Have you ever seen those enormous cruise ships sailing out in the middle of the ocean and felt inspired? There is something special about those cruise liners. The calm, blue ocean slowly drifting into the sunset is an image not too many people can witness.

If you’re interested in living that life every day, learn more about a career in cruise ship management.

 

Managing a Cruise Ship

Like all management positions, managing a cruise ship requires a lot of hard work. The only difference is, you are working out in the ocean and your office is never in one spot. But to be a successful cruise ship manager, you need more than just a love of the ocean.

Available All the Time

From the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, you are always on the move. Managing a cruise ship means you are always on top of things, from monitoring the laundry to reviewing the menu in the restaurants to dealing with patrons and staff. As the manager, it is your job to oversee the inner workings of the ship.

Meetings Fill Your Day

Meetings on the high seas aren’t that different to those on the land, except you will have the calming presence of the ocean to guide you throughout your day. Cruise ship managers may have daily meetings with:

• The Ship’s Captain
• Hotel managers
• Cabin crew and staff
• Revenue officers
• Heads of various departments

Make sure you’re on top of every one of your meetings. Keep track of when they are and who they’re with and be ready to make active contributions to every conversation. These meetings will help you decide what areas need to be improved on and what recommendations you can make, helping to ensure smooth sailing each and every day.

Comply with Company Guidelines

All cruise line companies have rules and regulations that employees must adhere to. As the manager of the cruise ship, you are at the forefront of these rules. OH&S is an important part of any job and it is up you to ensure all workers and guests are safe while on board. The next time the ship docks, a safety inspector may jump on board and inspect it.

Be Present

An important part of the job as a cruise ship manager is to entertain your guests. You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian; just be present. Generally, you will host a dinner with around 8 guests. This is an opportunity to unwind and enjoy a good meal and drink with your guests. The time you spend together can also be used to discuss any issues they may have. Take their feedback on board or make suggestions on how they can maximise their stay.

Working on a cruise ship may seem like a lot of hard work, and it is. However, with the right training and education, your career will travel far and wide. If you would like to know more about our courses, get in touch with Crown Institute of Studies. Call us on 0800 357 316 or fill out an online enquiry form.

With great power comes great responsibility and business management is no exception. If you are after a career that will test you and shape your future, look no further than business management.

Read to learn more about a career that can open many doors for your future.

 

Where to Start

If you have an interest in business or management roles, education is a must. Business qualifications can be the key to your entry level position, your promotion or your change in career.

At Crown Institute of Studies, we help students in New Zealand to achieve their business dreams. We prepare students for working life through hands-on experience, first-class teaching environments, and the chance to cross-credit your business diploma. Studying at Crown could fast-track your business qualifications at Massey University or other leading business schools.

Be Challenged. Be Rewarded.

A career in business management will be a challenging one. It will require a lot of hard work and dedication to forge your career. Throughout your day, you will be encountering all types of work, from meetings to phone calls, writing reports to dealing with employees. To get the most out of yourself and your workers, you need to promote balance.

The challenge is to get the right person onto the right tasks, even if that means you take on these tasks yourself. Management is not easy, but if you can hold yourself in good stead and are willing to work hard, the possibilities are endless.

 

Lead from the Front

Do you have a strong voice that inspires others to do better? Do you enter a room and have everyone take notice right away? Good managers are those who are not afraid to tell it as it is. If you see an issue in the office, you resolve it right away. If you have something to say, you ensure your voice is heard.

If you already have these qualities, you might find it easier to step into business management. Fortunately, you can also develop these skills through on-the-job experience and formal education.

Accountability

In the business world, you aren’t always going to get the result that you want. Sometimes this will be almost entirely out of your control but often you will have to take responsibility anyway.

When working with internal teams, make sure that all team members are accountable for their mistakes as well as their victories. When working with external stakeholders, understand that you will sometimes have to take the blame. It may not be ideal, but management is not for the faint-hearted.

Communicate

Good management starts with great communication, no matter what sort of position you hold. Every day, you will be dealing with internal and external stakeholders. You might have to send a message that makes a deal, explains an error or ensures that the right work gets done. This starts with strong eye contact and confident body language. These non-verbal cues are just as important as vocal communication.

Business management is a career that can take you to exciting new places, not only work-wise but all around the world. The best managers are those who are well educated and hard working. If you are excited by the prospect of business management, contact Crown Institute and enquire about our business courses. Either call us on 0800 357 316 or email us at info@crown.ac.nz.

Working in the hospitality industry opens so many doors for those wanting to advance their career. To have a long and fruitful career in the industry, you must be constantly learning. The more knowledge you obtain, the greater your job prospects will be.

Read on to learn more about what it takes to work in hospitality.

 

Communication

It is no secret that you need to communicate effectively to get places, both in your career and your personal life. Both verbal and non-verbal communication is essential to any career path. To work in hospitality, make sure you have a clear and concise voice. For online communication, use proper spelling and grammar and always acknowledge the person you are talking to.

Starting your sentence with a person’s name or by acknowledging their last point will go a long way, whether you’re talking face-to-face or over the phone.

Get Certified

If you want to work in the hospitality industry, you need to have the relevant certifications. If you want to work as a bartender, you will need food and beverage qualifications, and if you want to be a manager, you will need to up-skill for that role.

There are always new advances and roles in the hospitality industry, making ongoing education more important than ever.

I.T Skills

Every profession these days will require basic computer software knowledge. This usually encompasses Microsoft Office, which is very easy to learn, and other specific skills.

Your IT skills for the hospitality industry might involve learning specific systems for hotel bookings, food ordering and more. Sometimes you will need these skills to get the job but more often than not, simply being tech-savvy will get you through the door and into on-the-job training.

Networking

A lot of the time, it’ not what you know but who you know, and this can have a profound impact on your hospitality career. This goes back to communication and presentation. By putting the best version of yourself out there, you can more easily connect with other professionals.

With platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, you can also connect online, making networking a much more accessible option in the modern day.

Multi-Tasking

Most jobs these days require employees to juggle several things at one time. The hospitality industry is no exception. Some days, you will be faced with a mountain of work that will need to be completed in a short space of time. Multi-tasking and prioritising your work will show efficiency and help you to achieve great results.

Eye for Detail

This is by far one of the most important skill sets you need in the hospitality industry. Whether you’re a bartender or hotel manager, you must always be looking for the finer details. This could mean double checking a client’s booking or ensuring glassware is spotless.

Time Management

Are you always late to parties, get-togethers and family gatherings? If so, the hospitality industry probably isn’t for you. This line of work requires a laser-like focus when it comes to the clock, ensuring that everything is done precisely and on time. When working, you will need to switch off from social media and all outside distractions to ensure the job gets done.

A career in the hospitality industry can be a fun and rewarding experience. If you have strong ambitions to one day work in hospitality, your journey begins at Crown Institute. To find out more about our courses, contact us today on 0800 357 316 or fill in an enquiry form to learn about our hospitality courses.

Do you want to fly all over the world and look your best doing it? Wish to maximise your sparkling personality?

Perhaps a career as a flight attendant is your calling. Let’s see if you’re made for it.

 

7 Qualities of a Flight Attendant

1. A Love of Aviation

This is usually the first and one of the strongest signs of wanting a career in the sky. If being a pilot isn’t right for you, maybe a rewarding career in service, safety, snappy uniforms and air travel is your calling.

Get involved with a life in the sky by training to be a flight attendant.

2. Great Personality

Having a great personality and the will to make others happy are a couple of ideal qualities of a flight attendant. Flight attendants are friendly, helpful and easy going, no matter the conditions.

They love talking to others and aren’t afraid to go beyond the call of duty to help. A smile doesn’t cost anything and will brighten up a passenger’s day.

3. Understanding Human Behaviour

Human beings are unique and interesting creatures. We are all different, which makes the world an exciting place. As flight attendants, you must be able to understand human behaviour.

This means having to deal with all types of people, from small children to the elderly. If you fancy yourself an amateur psychologist with a knack for customer service, jump into a career as a flight attendant.

4. Impeccable Appearances

As a flight attended, taking pride in your appearance isn’t just a professional project, it’s a personal passion. While you might have a laid back look at home, you’ll always prepare yourself impeccably before hitting the road (or the skies).

Flight attendants take enormous pride in their appearances, taking the time to present the best versions of themselves. If this has always come naturally to you, consider slipping on a uniform yourself.

5. Willingness to Learn

All airlines have their own safety procedures that flight attendants must abide by.

Every year, these rules and regulations change and you must be willing to take these on board. If you love learning new procedures and techniques, then you should consider this career.

6. Communication

In all aspects of work and life communication is a crucial skill to have. As a flight attendant, this becomes even more important. You will be working and living alongside your customers and colleagues, often for hours at a time.

Effective and clear communication will be important for everything from polite conversation to sharing a vital message from the pilot.

7. High Tolerance to Stress

When you’re working in a pressurised cabin, there’s bound to be moments of pressure. Stress will be part of your day-to-day job but it will often be an exhilarating, highly rewarding form of stress. You need to be able to identify and respond to challenges in all conditions and be ready for anything!

Flight attendants have one of the best jobs in the world. Not only do they get to travel, but they get paid to do it. If you have strong ambitions to see the world, a career as a flight attendant might be right for you.

To find out more about getting qualified, contact Crown Institute today on 0800 357 316 or fill in an enquiry form.

It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, without a great human resources (HR) manager, your business will struggle.

If you love people, aren’t afraid of change or challenge, then pursuing a career in HR could be for you.

 

What Do HR Managers Do?

Firstly, human resources managers must be multi-skilled jugglers.

You might get into the office at 8:30 a.m. and go through unfinished paperwork from the previous day. After that, you might head off to meetings for the next couple of hours, making presentations and pitches to potential clients.

After a delicious lunch, you might be back in the office looking at sales reports and crunching the numbers.

Power to the People

Whatever a HR manager’s diverse day involves, they’re always going to come face-to-face with staff. Current and potential employees will be your bread and butter as you conduct interviews and find innovative solutions.

As an interviewer, your communication and confidence are essential. With each decision, you will determine the immediate future of a potential employee and set the trajectory for your company.

Human resources management is a career that requires attention to detail and a love of hard work. If you are not afraid to put in the hard yards and are willing to do what it takes, human resources management might be your chosen path.

Skills You Need

Hard work is one of the most important things in the HR industry because no one is going to start off as an executive or a manager. But the good news is that almost all businesses need human resources staff and it can be a long and rewarding career.

A retail or administrative background will also put you in a good position as you climb towards a HR management role.

A diploma or degree in business management is a good starting point for your HR career. As you progress, short courses in finance or accounting may be beneficial, depending on your role.

The key in any job is being willing to learn and adapt. The best workers, especially HR workers, are those that can adapt to any environment or change.

Leadership Qualities

If you love being a confidante for those around you, look no further that this role. A lot of the time, your colleagues and employers will look to you for guidance. Yes, even the best CEOs will need help.

You will need to be able to effectively communicate with others, dealing with high-pressure situations, making hard calls and giving honest advice.

Are you excited about the prospect of being the go-to person in a business? Human resources management is definitely a career you will love. If you would like to learn more about our courses, contact Crown Institute on 0800 357 316. Our course advisors will help you get started on your journey.

There is a saying that goes ‘If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.’

Truer words have never been spoken for non 9 to 5 careers.

Does the idea of becoming GM of a global hotel chain excite you?

If so, your journey starts here. The harder you work, the luckier you get, which is why you’re here to discover if a career as a hotel general manager (GM) could be for you.

 

Embrace the Challenge and Be Rewarded

In today’s fast-paced world, the notion of a 9-5 job is dead.

In fact, people are working more to create the lifestyle they crave, and for work to smoothly integrate with life.

No two days are ever the same as a hotel general manager, but that’s what makes the job so much fun.

One day you could be greeting guests in the hotel lobby and the next you are giving the world’s biggest stars a tour of your hotel. It’s just one of the perks of working in the hospitality industry.

A Leader of Multiple Teams

Working as a hotel manager requires excellent leadership and communication skills.

A hotel GM is a people person, leading a roster of staff, communicating with other hotel managers and getting face to face with visitors and VIPs. Communication skills will be essential in your daily work schedule.

Hotel management is also all about efficiency. This means you get to set the agenda and make sure everything is in place.

This can be an incredibly worthwhile experience but it also involves a lot of hard work – be prepared for that phone to start ringing at the end of the day.

Love What You Do

A hotel GM, above all else, must love what they do. Waking up each morning and walking into your hotel is what drives you.

A hotel manager is more than a job title; it is a passion for your work and people which requires boundless enthusiasm, even when you are not feeling 100%.

For more about our hospitality courses, contact Crown Institute today on 0800 357 316 or submit an enquiry.

Imagine being able to make someone happy every day.

The joy a person expresses when you lock in their flights is an experience that can’t be described.

If you are looking for a rewarding career that can lead to greater opportunities, find out how to become a travel agent today.

 

No Two Days Are the Same

When you work as a travel agent, you can discover parts of the world that you didn’t even know existed! One day a family may be booking flights to America for three weeks and the next day a couple may be jetting off to Europe on a one-way ticket! Throughout the process, you can discover, explore and sell new parts of the world, even finding some gems that you’d love to explore yourself.

As a travel agent, your superiors will challenge you, helping you to master new obstacles and achieve daily goals. Keep your head high and work hard and this will result in a rewarding, fast-paced, one-of-a-kind experience!

Embrace Challenges

Being a travel agent isn’t like an ordinary sales role. You’re not just meeting your daily numbers; you’re selling experiences, activities and the most unique parts of the world. If you are willing to put in the hard work, you can achieve anything.

You never know what’s going to happen throughout your day, but you’re sure to have fun embracing challenges and discussing great holiday destinations. That’s all part of the beauty of working as a travel agent!

An Eye for Detail

Travel agents do more than just sit in front of a computer all day. They are searching for the best deals possible so clients can enjoy their trip.

Between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., your day is filled with meetings, flight bookings and endless and interesting phone calls. Sometimes it will seem like a lot of work, but the rewards are truly worth it.

Meetings about performance will push you to go further in your career and grateful messages from holidaymakers will give you the ultimate satisfaction. When you’re enjoying your work that much, it’s easy to enhance your performance and make your clients and colleagues take notice.

Travel agencies are typically social environments, filled with workers who are filled with wanderlust, hard work and a sense of adventure. At the end of a working week, you can look forward to winding down with your colleagues and sharing your own travel stories.

Social drinks and weekly events are just some of the perks of the job. Some agencies are global brands and hold galas in some of the best cities in the world.

Get Qualified Today!

It’s not about the destination, but the journey that gets you there. If you are excited about a career as a travel agent, speak to Crown Institute. Our travel and tourism courses will help you achieve your dreams. Call us on 0800 357 316 or fill out an online enquiry form.